Protein Overnight Oats

These protein overnight oats are vegan and made with dairy-free greek yogurt and plant-based protein powder. Each serving packs more than 16g of protein and 11g of fiber to keep you full until lunch. The flavor options are endless with these oats!

This is a delicious overnight oats recipe that makes for a great breakfast, snack, or even a dessert. You can make this recipe once and have a meal for three days! It doesn't get better (or easier) than that.

For more breakfast recipes packed with protein, check out these pumpkin protein muffins or this vegan carrot cake oatmeal.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How To Make Protein Overnight Oats
• Ingredient Substitutions
• Overnight Oats Variations
• Protein Powder vs. Greek Yogurt
• Storing The Oatmeal
• More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
• Recipe

Ingredients

You likely have most of these ingredients already at home! Not only are these oats vegan and dairy-free, but they are naturally sweetened, which makes them much healthier than the store-bought instant oats that are packed with added sugars.

• old-fashioned oats: be sure to use old-fashioned oats or rolled oats, but not quick oats or steel cut oats. Coarser, thicker oats like old-fashioned oats absorb the liquid best in this recipe and also have more fiber and nutrients than quick oats.
• chia seeds: chia seeds are a superfood, packed with fiber and Omega 3s. They help absorb the liquid in this recipe and bind the oats together.
• ground flax seed: flax seed is also rich in fiber, protein, and Omega 3s, adding more nutrients to these overnight oats.
• ground cinnamon: cinnamon adds extra flavor to the oatmeal without being overpowering.
• plant-based protein powder: you can use your favorite plant-based protein powder, but I recommend a vanilla version. Your oatmeal will definitely take on the taste of your protein powder, so use one you enjoy!
• dairy-free greek yogurt: use a dairy-free greek yogurt with a lot of protein for the best results in these protein overnight oats.
• unsweetened almond milk: this is the liquid in the recipe that makes the oats super creamy and delicious. Any unsweetened nut milk will do.
• pure vanilla extract: vanilla adds a sweet, well-rounded flavor to the oatmeal.
• pure maple syrup: this is a natural sweetener that can be used if you like your oatmeal a bit sweeter!

All of these ingredients are quite healthy for you, and you don't have to worry about the added fillers and preservatives that you would find in store-bought oatmeal.

How To Make Protein Overnight Oats

This oatmeal is SO easy to make. You only need 10 minutes to mix it up. Seriously! The best part is that you can spend a few minutes making this recipe and you will have breakfast prepared for 3 days. It doesn't get better than that!

STEP 1: Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the old-fashioned oats, chia seeds, flax seed, cinnamon, and plant-based protein powder until well combined.

STEP 2: Add wet ingredients. Mix in the dairy-free greek yogurt, unsweetened almond milk, pure vanilla extract, and maple syrup (if desired). Stir until creamy. The mixture will be quite thin at this point, but it will thicken as it chills.

STEP 3: Chill oats. Cover the oatmeal mixture with a lid, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil and place in the fridge to set up for at least 4-6 hours. Overnight is preferred for the best consistency.

STEP 4: Serve oats. Once the oats have set up, transfer them to three small jars or airtight containers for easy serving and storing. Consider mixing in almond butter, chia seed jam, or fresh berries in each jar so you have different flavors to enjoy throughout the week.

TIP: There are so many fun flavor options with these overnight oats. Feel free to get creative and be "extra" if you want! These oats are so versatile and pair well with nearly any mix-ins or toppings.

Ingredient Substitutions

When made as directed, these oats are vegan and dairy-free. However, if you aren't vegan, you don't have to use plant-based ingredients. I've added some notes on ingredient substitutions so you can ensure the oats turn out well for you.

• Milk - instead of using unsweetened almond milk, you can use another unsweetened nut milk like coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk. Dairy milks will also work well in this recipe if you are not vegan.
• Protein Powder - this recipe calls for vanilla plant-based protein powder, but you can use whey protein if you prefer. Be sure you like the taste of the protein powder you use, because the flavor comes through pretty strongly in the oatmeal.
• Greek Yogurt - this recipe works well with dairy-free yogurt or normal greek yogurt. Choosing a vanilla variety provides the best flavor, but plain varieties work too. I like using yogurt with at least 10-15g of protein per serving, for best results.
• Maple Syrup - consider using honey as a sweetener instead. You may also use coconut sugar (a vegan, unrefined sugar) or brown sugar for added sweetness.

NOTE: You don't have to use protein powder and greek yogurt in this recipe. You can use one or the other if you prefer. See the section below for notes on how to do this.

This recipe is very versatile and you can make substitutions fairly easily. If you change any ingredients, let me know how the recipe turns out by leaving a comment at the end. I'd love to know how it turned out for you!

Overnight Oats Variations

The flavor options are endless with these overnight oats! There are so many variations you can try. I've added some of my favorite flavor options to give you some inspiration:

• Strawberry Overnight Oats - mix freshly sliced strawberries into your overnight oats and add some more on top. This gives them such a fresh and fruity flavor!
• Blueberry Overnight Oats - you can mix some fresh blueberries into your oatmeal which gives them a delicious flavor and a fun purple color.
• Almond Butter Overnight Oats - stir in some almond butter and add a dash of cinnamon for even more protein in your oatmeal.
• Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats - add a few tablespoons of pure pumpkin and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for the perfect fall-flavored oatmeal.
• Maple Cinnamon Overnight Oats - mix in an additional tablespoon of pure maple syrup with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon for another cozy oatmeal flavor.
• Chocolate Overnight Oats - use a chocolate protein powder for delicious chocolate oats, or stir in 2-4 teaspoons of cacao powder. Cacao powder can be a strong flavor, so you might want to add a teaspoon of coconut sugar to sweeten it a bit.
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Overnight Oats - add 1-2 tablespoons of natural, creamy peanut butter with a few tablespoons of this homemade chia seed jam to make oatmeal that tastes just like peanut butter and jelly!

If you try other flavor options, I'd love to hear them! I'm always updating posts with more information, so if you have a flavor combination you love, add it in the comments so I can include it for other people to enjoy.

Protein Powder vs. Greek Yogurt

Both protein powder and greek yogurt are used in this recipe since these are protein overnight oats. They are packed with protein! The benefit of using protein powder is that it includes a lot of protein in a relatively small amount of powder.

The benefit of using greek yogurt is that it includes healthy fats and probiotics along with protein. Both protein powder and greek yogurt have benefits in this recipe, but you don't have to use both.

Using Protein Powder Only: If you want to use protein powder only, use ¾ cup protein powder and 3 cups unsweetened almond milk.

Using Greek Yogurt Only: If you want to use greek yogurt only, use 1 ¼ cup greek yogurt and 1 ½ cups almond milk.

Storing The Oatmeal

You can keep the overnight oats in airtight containers or in jars with lids for 5-7 days in the fridge. It's best to add fresh fruit or toppings right before serving rather than storing them with the oats in the fridge.

I have not tried freezing the overnight oats, so I don't recommend it due to the high moisture content of the oatmeal.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

If you made these protein overnight oats, please consider leaving a review below! I'd love to know how you enjoyed it. Post a photo on Instagram and tag me so I can see what you made! For more healthy breakfast recipes, try these options:

Almond Flour Banana Muffins

Oat Flour Pancakes

Almond Butter Chia Jam Toast

Cinnamon Apple Waffles

Recipe